Why Self-Care is Important

For me, self-care is something that often gets pushed aside. It’s only gotten worse in college. I often find myself saying things such as:

“I got three hours of sleep last night, but I finished my blog posts for next week.”

or

“I missed breakfast today because I wanted to get more of my freelance work done.”

and finally,

“I have to study, I don’t have time to worry about this (insert health, social problem, or feelings).”

And I know that doing this is actually worse than if I just deal with problems as they arise. Instead, I put them in tiny drawers in the back of my brain until they won’t shut anymore. It’s then that I realize I’ve been neglecting my self-care, but by then, it’s too late. Then, you just have to rest and let it all pass until you can breathe again.

Self-care isn’t just important for one part of your health. Self-care improves your overall health, including both physical and mental health. Self-care makes you more energetic. It produces positive feelings which in turn can improve your confidence and self esteem. It sets boundaries and teaches you to take time for yourself so you don’t overwork or get overwhelmed (I still haven’t learned how to do this).

Here are a few tips to get you started on a path of self-care:

Have a “you” date. Watch a movie, read a book, or do any hobby that you love that relaxes you.

Paint or write something. I have an art journal that I use often to get out emotions that get trapped in your chest-both good and bad. (I might do some posts about some of the pages at some point? If you’d like to see that, let me know in the comments below.)

Meditate.

TAKE A NAP. :)

Learn mindfulness.

Have a long bath or shower.

Do a “ten second tidy” of your living space. A cleaner space will automatically make you feel better.

Hug someone.

Go for a run or a walk. Heck, walk up the stairs a few time. Feel alive.

Do yoga.

Spend time with those you love.

On top of these great ideas, you could join The Sunflower Project! The Sunflower Project is a movement by Sara Laughed encouraging positivity, balance, and self-care in college. Through blog posts, a Facebook group, and Instagram challenges, we are hoping to spread happiness and healthy habits on college campuses, starting with you! I’m a part of this group too-so if you’d like to get to know me better, you should join!

We are a Facebook group for college students seeking support and community in pursuing a healthier, happier lifestyle.

We have regular themed discussion threads that encourage self-reflection and a positive mindset.

The Sunflower Circle is a place to make friends, find community, and focus on your health and happiness in college!

Don’t have a Facebook or just prefer Instagram (ME!)? Join our #GrowGratitude challenge on Instagram! #GrowGratitude is a two-week Instagram challenge where we take a picture of something we are grateful for every day, using daily one-word prompts (such as favorite, colors, home). The photo below shows all of the prompts!

We’d love to see you partake in the challenge, and I’d love to meet some of you in our Facebook group! Let me know if you are one of my readers and we can chat!